Bliss

I like Golden Rose brown rice as an "all-around". I am partial to Lundberg rices. I was before the arsenic issue came to the fore and luckily I can still continue. I was thinking of buying a rice cooker, but my new Wolfe cooktop does the job BEAUTIFULLY. On one of the simmer settings it can go totally unwatched. I also make more than I need and freeze.

What is a full meal? Looking at their menu, what I like about it is the many small choices. I'm a small woman and often my choice for dinner is what the restaurant lists as two first courses. I have never been treated poorly because of it. Obviously at restaurants that only have prix fixe I am prepared to eat that way.

I can't tell if this place reopened, it had a terrible fire a few years ago, but the Rose Inn outside of town in East Lansing, Rte 34, is fabulous. The place is gorgeous, the food superb. You can get by not dressing up. Bliss

I liked Telepan a lot both times I've been there, brunch and dinner, but its scarcely a setting for a romantic dinner. I don't know Town or the Modern, but I'll second, third, and fourth Eleven Madison Park. The setting is sumptuous and the food is so fine.

WE get ours from Fischer Bros & Leslie, butcher on the UWS and we love it.

Not sure what to say since I'm not sure who was being reviewed here, the chef or his potential clientele. Won't argue about where the "scene" in food is, we all know its not the UWS. Nevertheless, I don't think we are DEVOID of stylish eateries. A neighborhood that has Ouest and Telepan is not devoid of stylish eateries. Even Compass can be quite good on its best days and has a certain amount of style. And there are a couple of others. However, ewindels doesn't make Dovetail sound very compelling either. So perhaps those who were reluctant to pay the prices were not so off-base after all.

Orange County is officially the Hudson Valley so I hope it is also upstate! Crystal Inn on Amity Road in the hamlet of Amity, Town of Warwick is hard-to-find, easy to pass by (looks like a dive from the outside), but an absolutely delicious eating experience. Chef James Haurey is devoted to slow food, local produce etc. Some of the produce comes out of his wife's garden, a few miles down the road. But he also provides a delightful steak house menu for clientele who prefer it. The dining room is simple, a bit kitschy and the service is friendly, not formal, but you will enjoy the experience I'm sure. Their Pine Island Onion Soup, a favorite of mine, was in the NY Times a couple of months ago. I have no business relationship with the restaurant, just a vested interest in their survival since I have a house less than 3 miles away.

I shop mostly in my neighborhood, the UWS, or out-of-town to save money and haven't recently shopped for bones. However, I'm confident that all the kosher butchers, in Brooklyn or Manhattan, would sell bones of the animals they sell.

I'd like to find something less expensive than Le Bernardin that's a more exciting to me than the standards (Trattoria del Arte, for example). My stepson, based in LA and definitely a foodie, will be coming in regularly because his new company is based in the area and I'd like to have dinner in the area somewhere with some excitement. Thoughts? A search in this forum didn't bring anything up. bliss

I use them regularly and have since they started delivering to the UWS. Around the Jewish High Holydays I had the only serious problem with them that I've had in all the years I'm using them. As a consequence I tried Bread n'Brie a new service that specifically told me that they were delivering to the UWS. I spent time on their site to create an order, got a receipt to say they would deliver and then got a phone call that night they didn't deliver to my area! Forget them, ever. bliss

I've never been to the Grocery, but we had dinner at Saul last June. While details will escape me, I will say we enjoyed it thoroughly. Food was truly wonderful although the desserts don't shine in my recollection. I wouldn't hesitate to return, although the service and ambiance are not of the destination level--considering price--for us. We are Manhattanites and when we venture away from our own neighborhood just for food (not as an adjunct to theater, film, etc.) and are expecting to pay similar prices we expect more of the total experience. A bit more polish in decor and service.

A second for the Bridge. Dinner can be very good, and the atmosphere is delightful. REally not to be beat in the area.

I just checked the Falk site [http://store.falkculinair.com/chefpanfaitt.html] and Ebay [http://stores.ebay.com/Belgium4You] where they are selling their entire line. You might look into these sites before going ahead. BTW, we're loyal Burgundy Wine Company customers! Bliss

We're going to the Minetta Lane Theater and we'd like to eat less than five blocks away. Suggestions? Bliss

BOH? Sorry I don't get this acronym Bliss Boo-hoo...that's what the BOH is making without any tips. ←

http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=68607 Loved the restaurant the once we had brunch. Led me to buy his cookbook which I've found less interesting. Complicated recipes not well-written leading to less than stellar results. If this is true, its disgusting. But what it leads me to wonder, is it possibly true elsewhere? Anyone know? My daughter's boyfriend was a waiter and it certainly didn't happen where he was. Bliss

Have a reservation at Blue Hills at Stone Barns. Am very excited. Anyone been there and think I'm crazy (or smart) to be excited?

most probably the latkes made in the middle ages were made from matzo meal, or cheese. if cheese, they were of course not made with poultry fat. there was many latkes making the rounds in the old days, pancakes made from wild greens were a big favorite.....interestingly, i was just on the island of chios last week and ate pancakes made from wild greens (horta) that the other jew and i immediately bit into and exclaimed: Horta latkes! what i like best with my latkes of any kind, is greek yogurt. its thick like sour cream, and tangy so a wonderful refreshing counterpoint. and i cook my latkes in olive oil. going back to the original situation of the oil. i've been in other areas of europe, where they don't eat latkes for chaunkka, such as paris where they have all sorts of delicious sweet cakes for the celebration. and fried pastries of tunisia, and loukomades/fried dough balls of greece........ ← Tell me more about how you handle the olive oil. We were afraid to try olive oil because of its low smoking point.

Sorry Dave, every time my camera has been available, the kitchen has been a mess. However, I'll try to add my kitchen later today. I've so enjoyed seeing all the pictures you've taken. Looks like a kitchen refresh is in our future since our appliances are showing their age. So I'll be even more interested in comments than I was when I first, proudly, offered to take pictures. Bliss

Great! I think you make a good point and I think that no matter how much we like the various kitchens that have been shown a little healthy criticism will get everyone going a bit. Mi casa, su casa may be true, but my kitchen, your kitchen isn't. We're all different when it comes to something as important as a kitchen. The more ideas the better I say. I for one would love to see it! When I started this thread I put in the 'remodeling' to attract attention & to encourage participation. I would love to see a collection of kitchens of any age, the more kitchens, the more great ideas we all share. Have at it The sooner the better. ← Okay, I'll get some pictures tonight. I love kitchen renovation! I have done two and wish I could do one more, our country house. I'm afraid the wonderful barn and riding arena we built and the renovation we've already done in the house will preclude that until I'm too old to care about cooking.

No question there. Great job, I love the overall look and the details. ← I would have one quibble with what is an amazing kitchen. I wouldn't like storing pantry items in drawers where I am looking down at the tops of bottles and boxes. I like storage for these items as in the earlier kitchens where you are looking head on and can tell what you have either by a pull-out or shallow shelves. Would it be in keeping with the spirit of this conversation for me to include my kitchen that we did 16 years ago and we still love although the appliances need refurbishing. We wouldn't change any of our choices nor the layout (except for more space which there is no way to gain)